Arthur
Honorary Master
Stupid for someone who already has a livelihood and all she needs, perhaps. But very understandable for many who are desperate to scratch out a living, prey to unscrupulous, and the unwitting tools of the corrupt.
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The illegal mining thread
- Thread starter LazyLion
- Start date
And you have to remember that often these guys know nothing but mining. So when government allows and encourages the unions to run amok, and mines in turn reduce staff numbers, this sort of thing is inevitable, and to an extent, understandable...
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And you have to remember that these guys are essentially mining for a criminal syndicate who is purchasing the ore and making a killing off the exercise without providing any safety or operational protection at all
And you have to remember that there is fraud and corruption in the mining sector and big ol Zuma (not the president but the relative of the President) hasn't paid miners for their work.
And these guys are not out killing people or committing criminal actions of property destruction - as poachers do - their illegal activity is to impair state owned mineral rights (remember the State expropriation of mineral rights) and putting their own lives at risk. Extreme sports people put their own lives at risk and don't receive hypocritical scorn and politicians steal from the state or the time.
And you have to remember that there is fraud and corruption in the mining sector and big ol Zuma (not the president but the relative of the President) hasn't paid miners for their work.
And these guys are not out killing people or committing criminal actions of property destruction - as poachers do - their illegal activity is to impair state owned mineral rights (remember the State expropriation of mineral rights) and putting their own lives at risk. Extreme sports people put their own lives at risk and don't receive hypocritical scorn and politicians steal from the state or the time.
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Nerfherder
Honorary Master
I don't think thats fair at all.
The mines screw them over and then they close down if they ask for too much money. While mining companies make a packet.
Its not right what they are doing but why shouldn't they be able to mine an abandoned shaft ?
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
Ten illegal miners resurface
Ten illegal miners trapped in an abandoned mine in Benoni, on the East Rand, were rescued on Monday, Ekurhuleni emergency services said.
"Ten illegal miners have been brought to the surface this morning and they were in a good condition of health," rescue technician David Tshabalala said.
"The men have undergone a medical check and were handed over to police."
Tshabalala said it was unclear how many illegal miners were still underground because those who resurfaced could not provide them with numbers.
"We had men who came halfway up the shaft but then turned around. Our rescue members cannot go down the shaft because it is too dangerous," he said.
"There is an opening and we sent a chain down that we can pull them up with."
He said food and water were sent down to the miners on Sunday, but they could be running low.
The illegal miners were found on Sunday while emergency services were conducting operations around illegal mining in the area. They heard screaming from the abandoned mine.
At least 200 more illegal miners were believed to be trapped underground.
Gauteng police said on Monday that 11 illegal miners who were rescued had been charged.
"They will be appearing in the Benoni Magistrate's Court [on Tuesday] on charges of illegal mining," said Lt-Col Katlego Mogale.
The group was in police custody.
They were brought up from the mine shaft on Sunday and examined by emergency workers. No injuries were reported.
Rescue workers abandoned their rescue mission on Sunday evening after the remaining men refused to be brought to the surface.
"After the 11 illegal miners had been brought up, the rest heard that they would be arrested and said they did not want to come back up," ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak said.
It was too dangerous for the rescue workers to go down into the mine. Police and private security companies, however, remained at the shaft.
Source : Sapa /dm/nsm/ar/jk
Date : 17 Feb 2014 12:48
Ten illegal miners trapped in an abandoned mine in Benoni, on the East Rand, were rescued on Monday, Ekurhuleni emergency services said.
"Ten illegal miners have been brought to the surface this morning and they were in a good condition of health," rescue technician David Tshabalala said.
"The men have undergone a medical check and were handed over to police."
Tshabalala said it was unclear how many illegal miners were still underground because those who resurfaced could not provide them with numbers.
"We had men who came halfway up the shaft but then turned around. Our rescue members cannot go down the shaft because it is too dangerous," he said.
"There is an opening and we sent a chain down that we can pull them up with."
He said food and water were sent down to the miners on Sunday, but they could be running low.
The illegal miners were found on Sunday while emergency services were conducting operations around illegal mining in the area. They heard screaming from the abandoned mine.
At least 200 more illegal miners were believed to be trapped underground.
Gauteng police said on Monday that 11 illegal miners who were rescued had been charged.
"They will be appearing in the Benoni Magistrate's Court [on Tuesday] on charges of illegal mining," said Lt-Col Katlego Mogale.
The group was in police custody.
They were brought up from the mine shaft on Sunday and examined by emergency workers. No injuries were reported.
Rescue workers abandoned their rescue mission on Sunday evening after the remaining men refused to be brought to the surface.
"After the 11 illegal miners had been brought up, the rest heard that they would be arrested and said they did not want to come back up," ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak said.
It was too dangerous for the rescue workers to go down into the mine. Police and private security companies, however, remained at the shaft.
Source : Sapa /dm/nsm/ar/jk
Date : 17 Feb 2014 12:48
daveza
Honorary Master
For the same reason we can't go strolling along the north-western Cape beaches looking for diamonds.
Mila
Honorary Master
dlk001
Executive Member
+1
I don't feel sorry for the criminals. Unfortunately the syndicates get away with this crime.
Arthur
Honorary Master
Not quite. The mine is private property, which is another matter entirely.
The beach diamonds law is outrageous and unjust.
What give the State the right to arrogate these things to itself? To define itself as the owner and arbiter? It is not found in any principle of jurisprudence or the natural law. It is a power grab by Caesar. What's astonishing to me is that most people just roll over and accept it, even support it. They just cannot imagine a world without an omnipotent and omnicompetent State. Which is probably why we deserve the tyranny that's coming.
There!
Mila
Honorary Master
Thought so, you are more involved with mining than our business and I know that they are truly hurting the mining industry. Our Economy and the people that are working legally.
dlk001
Executive Member
I'm consulting in many sectors except base metals and manganese. My career started in Gold mining research for mining at 3 - 6 kilometers. Coal is much nicer.
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I'm consulting in many sectors except base metals and manganese. My career started in Gold mining research for mining at 3 - 6 kilometers. Coal is much nicer.
I'm the opposite, PGM and Manganese is my life blood (from a legal POV). I have a standing invite to go down a coal mine in Witbank... not sure if I am keen though...
Mila
Honorary Master
I'm consulting in many sectors except base metals and manganese. My career started in Gold mining research for mining at 3 - 6 kilometers. Coal is much nicer.
Thanx. You know quiet a lot never knew which sector though.
We do work for all sectors but it is mainly the gold and platinum. These illegals are bad bad news. It is not talked about much but they are doing our country a great injury.
They go into mines and collect the carbon on the struts that keeps the mines up and causes collapses. You play with fire you will get burnt. No pity from me though.
])ragon_\/oid
Expert Member
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They should flush them out of there... Pump water in, and they will start flowing out like ants.
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
3 more have just come up.
Help me out here, I know little to nothing about mining.
So the mine in question is abandoned and its assumed to be producing nothing. How does illegally mining anything left in there damage the economy/country?
dlk001
Executive Member
Would love to visit a Manganese operation, especially underground one.
Coal mines, especially, Witbank are one of the safest. Is it underground or open cast?
daveza
Honorary Master
The same place Shell is going to find a huge amount of water for the Karoo.
Yeah, but shell has time and money.